The 2013 Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards were held in Beverly Hills this past Wednesday night and attracted a number of both female and male supporters of equality in the film industry. The Big C actress Laura Linney was on hand to accept the Lucy Award for excellence in film, as well as give a sort of “state of affairs” speech on gender equality.

"As an actress in film, it is very easy to become isolated just due to the ratio of gender inequality that exists," 49-year-old Linney said, via AceShowbiz. "Rarely do you have a scene with other women, very few women are on the crew, and what few female executives arrive tend to keep to themselves. You have fewer and fewer women to turn to for help or advice, and information is not easily shared."

She urged the members of the audience to stand against the problem of isolation by reaching out and mentoring other women: “Reach out to a younger actress, or junior executive, or crew person, or office worker or a student," she said. Take them to lunch, put in the time to talk and learn what they are encountering. Listen to their observations. Share with them your insight and your mistakes and share information so that our experiences are not wasted."

The rousing speech was met with enthusiastic applause from the room. Following Linney’s talk, several other honorees were named, including Hailee Steinfeld (the Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future Award), Sofia Coppola (the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award) and George Lucas (the Nora Zarky Humanitarian Award).

Linney criticized the slow progress of the industry.

Sofia Coppola, who is known for her penchant for strong female protagonists, was also honored at the event.